


Blue Mold

by minium



Category: One Piece
Genre: F/F, Fluff and Angst, Marriage Proposal
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-25
Updated: 2019-11-25
Packaged: 2021-01-26 12:23:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,141
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21374116
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/minium/pseuds/minium
Summary: “Before given a voice,it was you.As if I was waiting for it, it was you.It was alwaysyou.“
Relationships: Nami/Nefertari Vivi
Comments: 10
Kudos: 27
Collections: Femslash Exchange 2019





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [prpl_pen](https://archiveofourown.org/users/prpl_pen/gifts).

It’s time to say goodbye. 

_It’s time to say goodbye._

She just couldn’t, couldn’t accept this. It was too soon. She knew it wouldn’t last forever. Yet, this was too _soon_. The selfish part of her wanted— more time, more time, _more of her_. 

Yet. 

Goodbye. 

It was time to say goodbye. 

Despite her softened footfalls and quiet breaths, the door creaked open before her. Welcoming her was the acrid scent of smoke, comforting in the silence of the deck. Nami didn’t hesitate. She took a seat, tightly gripping her hands together, head determinedly bowed. In spite of his beckoning, her crewmate only shot her fleeting looks, refraining from his usually effusive greetings. 

Sanji shuffled around behind her, the only noise present— the quiet rocking of the ship— the clanking of pots, the running faucet— no words, no laughter, an atmosphere only unveiled when the Captain wasn’t present. She wondered if they leaned on Luffy’s effusive nature so staunchly just to avoid the hush that fell when left to their own devices. 

She couldn’t help her idle tapping on the table, unmoored without something to do, a horizon to focus her gaze. Without the burning passion leading them along, they were just drifting on. Yet unlike any other time, it was as if solid ground was purposefully eluding her. 

The clank of a steaming cup set down before her shifted her thousand-yard stare to where her hands greedily curled around warmth. She glanced up quickly, unconsciously— without permission, awakened from a daze, startled to face another. 

Keeping his silence, Sanji searched her expression. Nami didn’t know what he expected to find, but eventually, the furrow of his brow voiced his discontent clearly enough. Still, still, still, _he didn’t say anything_. And. She didn’t offer. 

_Too soon, it was too much, too little, too far._

_Nami hadn’t been ready for this._

She murmured her thanks before noticing the emptiness of his hands. “You didn’t make one for yourself?” 

“Sweet drinks are more to your taste. Don’t worry about me.” He waved her off, taking a seat next to her, and in the process, idly lighting a new cigarette. 

“Ah.” Nami nodded absently. 

Neither of them brought up the late hour. The navigator sipped her drink and Sanji stayed— he _stayed_— with her. 

For one brief moment, the ugliness in her heart spoke— why him, why him, _why not_— before she forcibly silenced it. Guilt nagged at her, but she didn’t have anything to say. 

Warmth suffused, clawing its way into the center of her chest. The gaping, yawning emptiness was ignored <del>(for now)</del>. 

She shut the door behind her. Leaning back against the solid surface, she paused there— taking one breath, taking another. Usually, the rocking of the ship comforted any amiss beating of her heart, but not— _today_. Today, all around her was an endless sea. In all directions, it was the same; the view that faced her was the same. Farther, farther still, they sailed on. 

It was stifling; her throat threatened to close up, and the seasickness she had thought ridden rolled a sick path through her stomach. It was dark. She was _alone_. She almost wanted to take back her refusal at Sanji’s offer to walk her back, but seeing movement in the Crow’s nest, compulsion propelled her into an entirely different direction. 

It didn’t take long for Zoro to notice her. “What do you want, witch?” Strangely enough, the unchanging abrasiveness of Zoro’s words calmed the racing beat of her heart more than anything else had up to this point. 

Tongue _finally_ ungluing itself, she found the words that had continually eluded. “Don’t worry, nothing you have to offer would be anything I want.” 

Unphased by her brush-off, Zoro didn’t comment further than a grunt, returning to his— absolutely ridiculous— _seriously, he was some kind of new monster_— exercise. 

Not willing to watch Zoro’s boorish display, Nami instead traced the wooden railing of their nest, thankfulness rising in her heart. This ship had been through _so much_ with them. She patted the wood for a minute before stopping, feeling slightly ridiculous. 

Abruptly— “She’s not gone. Once Luffy has his hooks in you, there’s no escaping him. So don’t be— she’ll come _back_.” —Nami whirled around— an unexpected shot straight through to the heart— _her_ heart. The words were blunt with no delicacy whatsoever, and yet the exact ones to furiously ricochet the beating of her heart into an unstoppable thrum she had no hope of squashing. 

She hadn’t expected it. 

She had been— _running, denying, escaping_— but surely, surely Nami didn’t— Zoro continued his routine like he hadn’t just— nothing had changed, and she desperately wondered if the words spoken were an apparition— imagined and unasked for. 

Again, words failed her. 

Her crewmate evidently didn’t think further discussion was necessary because he didn’t even glance her way. 

Nami kept staring at his back. And so, after countless minutes of a mutual, increasingly uncomfortable silence, her throat unstuck. “I don’t know why I thought she would stay.” It was an honesty she didn’t know why she shared. 

“She’s not gone,” Zoro repeated, insistent. “Don’t act as if you’ll never reach her.” 

“That’s easy to say.” 

“It’s easy to do.” Zoro’s eyes narrowed, and he continued, tone quieting, “Say what you need to say before you can’t say anything at all.” 

_What was that supposed to mean?_ Sometimes, _Zoro_— 

And the one time Nami had wanted him to continue talking, he yawned. “Well, I’m off. See ya.” 

She pelted questions at the swordsman’s back, but he didn’t turn. Nami climbed out of the cockpit after him, but by the time her feet touched deck, he was already gone. 

She cursed loudly into a ship that was only too quiet. 

Face to face with her new _crewmate_, once again, Nami mentally cursed Luffy for his impulsive absolutely insane decisions— _who recruited their enemy just on their word_— Luffy did, that’s who— and who would deal with his stupidity— Nami would, of course. Miss All-Sunday smiled up at her— innocently, unreservedly,_ as if she hadn’t just_— and the low-stirring of fear added to the torrent— everything swirling together, it was sickness and Nami was afflicted. 

It was only in this insane life that Luffy had drawn her into that she had become roommates with her former(?) enemy. Fakery was something she could sniff from meters away, and _this woman_ was only too close to her. 

“I find it helps to write when I am at a crossroads. Sometimes, articulating your worries leads to a door you hadn’t prior considered.” 

Was there a sign above her head that asked for all this unsolicited advice? _Even Miss All Sunday had_— confusion mounted, but the suggestion stuck. Of course. _Of course._ She could. _She could._

Nami hurried to her desk. Grasping the handle of her chair, she stopped and turned slightly to regard the other woman. Unexpectedly sincere was her reply, “Thank you.” 

Her roommate only smiled that mysterious smile she had greeted her with and returned to her reading. 

_Right. _

She sat and pulled out fresh parchment and quill. The weight of her familiar tools in her hand relaxed her completely. Yet, when she put the quill to paper, her hand didn’t move. Mind blank, thoughts static, _she didn’t know what to say._

Akin to waves rushing in, this desperate feeling she didn’t have a name for consumed the train of her thoughts. Anything. Everything. What was there to tell? What could she say to a princess busy rebuilding her kingdom? 

Who was she? 

And Vivi. 

_Vivi was everything._

She just couldn’t, couldn’t accept this. It was too soon. She knew it wouldn’t last forever. Yet, this was too _soon_. The selfish part of her wanted— more time, more time, _more of her_. 

more. 

more. 

_more._

Nami said hello. 

and 

and 

_and_— 

so did she. 


	2. Chapter 2

“I think that’s a SUPER idea.” 

Franky’s immediate enthusiasm allayed most of her worries; but still, anxiety pushed through— she couldn’t help asking, “So will you guys help me?” 

Brook calmly set down his teacup with a clink. “Young lady, I can safely say that I speak for all of us when I say that we’d be honored.” 

“Nami is going to be so happy!” Chopper clutched his cheeks with a pleased giggle. 

Yet, there was one voice that echoed above the rest— “I have years of planning experience and am obviously the best suited to help you!” 

Surveying them, the smile that blossomed was only natural. “Oh, if you’d help, I’d be so thankful, Usopp.” 

Grandiose pose breaking for a moment, the sharpshooter visibly seemed taken aback— before smiling widely, unreservedly. “Just leave it all to me! They call me Captain Usopp for a reason. I won’t let you down, princess!” 

Gratefulness overflowing, Vivi couldn’t help the hug she started, and with each member that joined, love for this family of misfits— the very ones who had helped her when she needed it the most— somehow, grew even more. 

Drawing her sunglasses up to the top of her head, Nami quirked an inquisitive brow when Vivi handed over the invitation. “This is the last major event before the date of my coronation is announced. I’d love it if you came as my support.” 

The navigator grasped the envelope but didn’t even bother fiddling with the seal. 

Vivi clutched her fingers tighter together, preemptively preventing any nervousness from slipping through her thin veneer— thrumming through her was a fizzing sensation of the like she’d never before experienced, and stemming the tide was ever so difficult. 

“You know you don’t have to give me a whole speech. You only have to ask, I’d go with you anywhere.” 

She smiled sunnily. “_Perfect_, because it’s happening in an hour.” 

At this, Nami gaped at her. “What—” 

Cupping her face gently, the princess distracted her the best way she knew how. 

_It was very effective. _

The navigator didn’t rise out of her daze until Vivi had already reached the door. “Wait, Vivi.” 

Turning the handle, she tossed another smile— this time one bespoke with promise— behind her. 

“_Vivi_!” Nami called through the door. 

Peering into the darkness of the room, she could see a corner lit up with low light. Approaching haltingly, she saw a fire crackling richly. It would have been a cozy scene— a respite in the oasis of darkness— if not for what was alarming. Ever so casually, Franky rested his hands inside the hearth. 

With widened eyes and thudding footfalls, she rushed over. “Are you okay?” she shouted in his direction. 

Craning his face over his shoulder, he gave her what can only be described as a wicked grin. 

Hand over heart, Vivi paused her stride once— a breath, before straightening to her full height— calmly making the rest of her way over. 

Pulling his hands out of what would undoubtedly dangerous for anyone other than him, he paused. Lifting his goggles out of his face, he slowly, almost reverently brought his palms close to eye-level. The princess tried her best to see over his hunched back, but she failed to even catch a glimpse. She sighed and took a seat, knowing that at this stage, even her words wouldn’t reach the cyborg, deep into his craft as he was. 

Tapping her foot, she didn’t know how long she sat there— _thankfully_, royalty was expected to arrive late per tradition in Alabasta— but she stilled when Franky whirled around, his arm triumphantly in the air. Standing up at once, tilting her neck back to peer into the darkness, she excitedly clapped her hands together. “Is _it_ done?” 

No verbal response, but the slow, ‘super’ descending of an arm. Eventually, what she had been waiting so long for was held out before her, better than she could have ever imagined. Tangible before her, she wasted no time. 

_Beautiful_— more than the shape, more than the way it glittered in the light— what it meant, what she was finally asking for, her heart skipped a beat as she cautiously, ever so carefully pinched it between her fingers. 

Tears welled up without permission, and she tried to offer her thanks, but the burning in the back of her throat made it impossible. 

The satisfied smile that met her own trembling one said it was heard anyway. 

This evening, smartly dressed, and with his given authority, Usopp turned his talents over to announcing. 

Almost blinded by the light, she still couldn’t look away. Nami’s smile was wide, the laugh subtly in her eyes was so very her, and the warmth in the grasp of her hand was all she had ever wanted. 

Nami radiated, and even through her slightly embarrassed acceptance of Usopp extolling of her virtues, she looked only at her— _that gaze was just for her_— and the princess couldn’t help soaking up every second, every minute. 

And the promise she would make? She wasn’t afraid. 

How could she be? Vivi was never more certain of anything, of _anyone_. 

_Nami was everything._

The way Brook winked at her from across the room was slightly concerning— she didn’t realize that he was even _capable_ of that— but the message came through despite its presentation. Vivi winked back and nudged her dance partner. Usopp gave her the lead with the brightest smile she had ever seen from him. 

With all the subtly the two of them possessed, they circled around until they had neared the vicinity of their target. Holding that swaying figure in the peripheral, she gently but insistently applied enough force to spin Usopp out of her orbit, and she saw Brook do the same. 

With a sudden armful of navigator, she smiled, pleased. “Hello.” 

“Hello, yourself,” Nami breathlessly shot back at her. 

Vivi held her close, closer, and then ever closer. 

The applause went on for quite some time even after her acceptance. 

She cleared her throat, speaking once more. “I will certainly do my best. You don’t know how much it means to me that all of you think so well of me.” 

Vivi didn’t know when the heat would fade from her cheeks, but the approval shown was enough too, to keep her heart warm even in the face of inevitable difficulties. 

As soon as she sat back into her seat, a familiar hand curled around hers. “You’re going to be so great. I don’t think they’re ready for you.” 

Squeezing her hand once, Nami grinned at her. 

It was all she could do to smile helplessly back at her. 

“Everyone, everyone please. If you could do the kindness of directing your attention to me, The Great Usopp!” 

The hall quieted, chatter faded as lights shone down onto the announcer— a position that fit the sharpshooter all too well, considering the way he preened under the attention. 

“In my boundless generosity, I have arranged for a welcoming gift for our soon-to-be Queen!” 

Cheers erupted, and the sharpshooter puffed up in his plume even further. 

Nami’s shoulder nudged her own. “This is bound to be entertaining. I wonder what it could be?” 

Leaning her chin into her hand, Vivi smiled innocently. “Not a clue.” With everyone focused ahead, she hid a secretive smile into her palm. 

Softly, Nami gasped next to her. With the help of Chopper, Sanji directed a cake almost to the height of the ceiling into the very center of the ballroom. “Oh. Oh, wow. Sanji’s truly outdone himself this time.” For who else could have created the cake stood before them all. Grandiose didn’t even begin to do it justice. “Though I’m sure more than Sanji had a hand in it if the design of it is to go by,” Nami added, taking it in. And there was definitely quite a lot to look upon. 

The navigator was caught up in the culinary creation and Vivi was just— _caught up in her._

“Vivi, my lovely seashell! _Mellorine_! Two of my favorite ladies sitting together. My heart can barely take it!” Sanji clasped his hands under his chin as he made his way to their table, steps almost dancing around the tables he passed. 

Nami laughed silently and Vivi subtly pinched her under the table. 

“Ow,” she pouted, and the princess smiled serenely back. 

“As lovely as this display is, Vivi, if you could?” The cook nodded in the cake’s direction. “We’d like you to be the first to cut it.” 

“It’s so generous of you to spend time making this for me. Thank you so much.” 

Miming a shot to the heart, Sanji collapsed. And… were those— were those _actual hearts_ in his eyes? _How_— 

“He’s so dramatic.” Nami sighed in practised exasperation. 

Standing, Vivi offered up her hand. “Come with me.” 

“...it’s your moment. Are you sure you—” 

_“Come with me.”_

“Always.” 

And with Nami’s hand poised over hers, Vivi gripped a knife that had a length more reminiscent of a sword. 

Of course, she never made the first cut. 

“Yahoo~!” An unmistakable figure burst out of the cake, exploding it in the process. There was no escaping it— within one breath and the next— the entire hall had been pelted with the pastry Sanji no doubt had spent ages toiling over. 

Scratching his head, Luffy surveyed the room. “Eh? Wasn’t this the plan?” was all he said before getting distracted, wandering off before anyone could apprehend him. 

Vivi stared in shock. It had all gone so smoothly until now. Why had it— _all of a sudden? _

Everyone had turned to stare her way, waiting for her to say something, _anything _to explain the events that had just occurred. 

Vivi turned to Nami. 

And with her face matted with the pitiful remains of the cake, Nami smiled her way, ever so sweetly, before erupting into hysterical giggles. “Luffy is in _so much_ trouble.” 

_And how could she resist? _

As if planned, Chopper made his way to the pair. Head bowing low, on top a pillow resting on his antlers, he presented what was needed. 

Nami halted her mirth. 

Vivi smiled gently in thanks before turning her attention to her partner. Nami’s eyes were wide. Taking her hand, there was only one thing for the princess to say. And for once, for all these months, the words she had been struggling with came out as easily as breathing— the most natural thing in the world. 

"Marry me." 

Frozen, the navigator’s expression stilled, and the princess' heart had a moment for fear to tentatively creep— but it was chased away with the embrace Nami enfolded her in. "All day. I was— I. Yes. _Yes_!" 

"Yes, you'll marry me?" 

"YES." 

And naturally, in typical Strawhat fashion, there was a party. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see her father crying out for the state of his coffers, but Vivi was indescribably, irrepressibly happy. 

**Author's Note:**

> **—**_ and we’ll never be apart again._  
Just let me, let me love you.


End file.
